TODAY: For only the fifth time in their 87-year history (1919-2005), the franchise will retire a number, officially taking Reggie White's 92 out of circulation in a halftime ceremony...Cleveland, which entered the NFL in 1950, makes only its second regular-season appearance at Lambeau Field, and third overall, including the 1965 NFL championship game...The Packers and Browns play the Lambeau opener, renewing a storied rivalry that includes Jim Brown's last NFL game (the 1965 NFL title contest). Green Bay's home opener also featured Cleveland in 1953, when Paul Brown's club pitched a 27-0 shutout in Milwaukee, also the first meeting in the all-time series.
HURRICANE RELIEF WEEKEND: The Packers Monday announced plans to donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross' Hurricane Relief Fund as a kickoff to fundraising efforts taking place at the gates today. Firefighters and law enforcement from around Brown County are collecting donations. Fans not attending the game who want to get involved in the Packers' efforts will still be able to donate at the Packers Pro Shop through the end of the day Monday.
HALFTIME: In a special ceremony discussed by Reggie White and team President Bob Harlan before White passed away, Larry McCarren will emcee, introducing Harlan, former general manager Ron Wolf, and White's family. After Harlan and Wolf escort her onto the field, White's wife Sara will speak before the team plays a 3-minute video tribute to her late husband. Then, on the facade of the north end zone, the number will be unveiled.
NATIONAL ANTHEM & FLY-BY:White's daughter Jecolia, 17, who gave up basketball to pursue a career in music at her father's recommendation, will perform the Star Spangled Banner...On the heels of the performance, F-16 Falcons will rock the stadium in a fly-by.
SACK LIST: In 15 NFL seasons, Reggie White sacked 76 quarterbacks a total of 198 times. Two of his most frequent victims are actually here today. No. 1 Phil Simms, the analyst on the CBS national broadcast crew, is in the booth. No. 3 Trent Dilfer is the Browns' starting quarterback. White's most-sacked NFL quarterbacks (unofficial):
Phil Simms - 15 1/2
Neil Lomax - 13
Trent Dilfer - 8
Jeff Hostetler - 7 1/2
Troy Aikman - 7
STAT CHANGE: Elias Sports Bureau on Wednesday corrected the press box stats from last week. The bureau gave Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila half of a first-quarter sack. The Ford Field stats crew had originally scored it a solo sack for Cullen Jenkins.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TODAY -
NAJEH DAVENPORT:
- Needs 37 rushing yards to become one of the first backups in team history with 1,000 career yards (he has just one start). In doing so, he could become one of the first Packers players to average more than 5 yards per carry at the 1,000 milestone. Davenport enters with 963 career yards.
NA'IL DIGGS:
- Needs four tackles for 500 career.
DONALD DRIVER:
- Needs a reception to extend his current streak with a catch to 50 games and tie the fourth-longest stretches in team history, 50 by Don Hutson (1941-45) and Paul Coffman (1979-82). Driver enters with a reception in his last 49 games.
BRETT FAVRE: On the NFL's all-time list...
- Needs 65 yards passing to become the third in NFL history with 50,000, joining Dan Marino (61,361) and John Elway (51,475). Favre enters with 49,935.
- Needs three touchdown passes at Lambeau Field to surpass John Elway's single-stadium NFL record. Elway threw 180 at Mile High Stadium. Favre enters 2005 with 178 at Lambeau Field.
- Counting all recorded consecutive-starts streaks, will tie No. 6 Gene Upshaw (207, 1967-81). Favre enters having started 206 consecutive games.
BUBBA FRANKS:
- Needs eight receptions for 200 career.
- Needs two TD receptions to tie No. 3 Robert Brooks (17) on the all-time Lambeau Field list. Franks enters 2005 with 15 Lambeau Field TD receptions.
AHMAN GREEN:
- Needs three rushing touchdowns to surpass No. 2 Paul Hornung (50) on the Packers' all-time list. Green enters with 48.
- Needs two overall touchdowns to surpass No. 4 Paul Hornung (62) and six to surpass No. 3 Sterling Sharpe (66) on the team's all-time list. Green enters with 61 in a Packers uniform.
- Needs 14 points to surpass No. 10 Clarke Hinkle (379) and 15 to surpass No. 9 Ted Fritsch (380) all-time in franchise history. Green enters with 366.
- Needs one rushing touchdown for 50 career.
- Needs one 100-yard rushing game for 30 career.
RYAN LONGWELL:
- Could reach 200 consecutive kicks without a block. Since his last blocked kick, a 2002 win over Chicago in Champaign, Longwell has hit 195 kicks - 65 field goals and 130 PATs - without a block.
- With a field goal, would tie his own franchise record for consecutive games with a field goal. Longwell enters with a 13-game streak. His record is 14 games (1997-98).
GREEN GOES LIVE TUESDAY: Ahman Green will take part in the latest installment of the Xbox Live "Game with Fame" program Tuesday at Lambeau Field. Green will take on fans from all over the country via Xbox Live and will have the opportunity to chat with each fan through a headset that's hooked up to the Xbox controller. "Game with Fame" is a new form of the meet-and-greet. It gives fans the opportunity to interact with their idols on a more personal level by playing video games and speaking with them. Green will be available for interviews between 2 and 3 p.m. For further information, please contact Andrew Garson with Alan Taylor Communications at 908/227-5497.
POOL REPORTERS: Appointed by the Professional Football Writers of America, Cliff Christl (primary) of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Mike Vandermause (alternate) of the Green Bay Press-Gazette are today's pool reporters.
NEXT WEEK: Green Bay hosts the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers in one of just two noon kickoffs on the home schedule, Sunday...Romeo Crennel hopes to continue his success against Peyton Manning, at Indianapolis Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.
